President Monson has called upon us to do more to feed the hungry and life the poor. Caring for others in this way is what the Bible defines as "pure religion" and is at the heart of true Christianity and true compassion for those of any faith. It is something we must do willingly, with our time and substance and love, helping the Lord to meet the needs of individuals. I heard a snippet from Glenn L. Rudd this morning on the Mormon Channel in which he said that the Church's welfare program is, in his view (if I heard correctly), the most spiritual thing we do in the Church. (Elder Rudd is the author of Pure Religion: The Story of Welfare Since 1930.) There's wisdom in that perspective.

Most LDS folks I know fully agree with the divine command to care for the poor and needy. But how can we do this, how can we help the poor and needy, especially in the future when disaster strikes or when the economy in general may be even more challenging than it is now, if we are not prepared? There are many with sufficient income and means who, sadly, are utterly unprepared to lift others. In spite of sufficient income for basic needs, preparation has not been a priority. Their pantry is empty, they are strapped with unnecessary debt, and a small jolt to our delicate supply chains--a truckers strike, a chemical disaster, a flood or a surprise crash of horrifically vulnerable power grid--could leave them hungry and dependent on others instead of being able to help.

By historical standards, this is a day of abundance. What a perfect time to prepare. Many cash-strapped college students can still put away a little food, a small supply for several days or more, and be ready to cope if the power is out for a few days. 72-hour kits for emergencies might just be 36-hour kits for some, but we can do more and be ready. We should spend a little time and some of our means on personal preparedness for the general challenges of life and emergency preparedness for the short-term sudden disasters that can strike. Meanwhile, building savings rather than debt should be our goal, another key to being able to help our family and others in the long run.

There are many reasons most of you can offer as to why you can't do anything about this now. You may be without money, but that does not make you poor or unable to prepare. With faith, the Lord can help us take one step after another to prepare. It may take months to build a week's supply of food on your budget, but if we turn to the Lord in faith and seek his guidance daily, we can find ways to prepare.

There is much to do right now in ministering to those around us, but let us also be ready to do more in the future.


Here are some Mormon Channel broadcasts on the subject of welfare.
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